Beauty

4 Signs Your Contouring Routine Has Gone WAY Too Far

If your everyday beauty routine resembles that of Amy Schumer's in the Girl You Don't Need Makeup video, you've tried weird techniques like 'clown contouring,' or go through more shading palettes than cotton balls, consider this your official intervention, sans the camera crew supplied by A&E.

Keep reading to find out the four ways to tell whether your contouring routine is out of control (and how to dial it down a notch)…

1. Your Skin Is Freaking Out Underneath All the Makeup

Layers and layers of concealer and cream contour products don't leave very much room for your skin to breathe, so if you've been noticing more breakouts than usual, your makeup may be to blame.

Try opting for lighter formulas, and make sure to regularly clean the brushes and sponges you use to prevent lingering, acne-causing germs from coming in contact with your skin.

Because makeup can get trapped in your pores and trigger a breakout, we recommend exfoliating either with a scrub or your Clarisonic ($99; nordstrom.com) once a week, then incorporating a blemish-fighting facial cleanser into your lineup. We love Nip + Fab's Glycolic Fix ($8; cvs.com).

2. Your Towels and Sheets Have Been Permanently Stained

Sure, a makeup stain (or ten) is bound to form after washing your face, but when your contouring technique leaves all the face towels in your closet looking like the Shroud of Turin (albeit with a glamorous smoky eye, of course), it's probably time to buy a new set—and maybe invest in some makeup wipes.

We all have different ideas about how much time is too much when it comes to getting ready, but if your highlighting and contouring technique takes longer than the rest of your face combined, take a closer look at your product lineup and attempt to go minimalist.

Less is more, as people always say, especially if you're using in excess of two shading powders or creams to achieve your desired effect.

4. You Can See Obvious Lines on Your Skin

Ever wonder why Kim Kardashian's contouring method from her latest fashion spread always leaves you looking like an extra from The Lion King on Broadway in real life?

Lighting on the set of a photo shoot is much more controlled, and can often wash out colour, so a super-intense contour may appear completely natural on the other side of the camera. When you venture into natural sunlight, however? Not so much.

In this case, consider the ever-popular damp BeautyBlender ($20; sephora.com) your best friend. Run the sponge under the faucet, squeeze out the excess water, then work the tool over those stubborn areas to blur out the colour. You could also consider dipping the sponge in a small amount of concealer or foundation for a more seamless transition.